Interviews

The craft scene in South America is exploding and Peru's award-winning Cerveceria Del Valle Sagrado is right in the thick of it. Based in the almost mystical region of the Sacred Valley, this passionate collective has fast become one of the hottest and most talked about breweries in the region.

Jamie Floyd is a renaissance man and one of the busiest people in craft beer. He founded Ninkasi Brewing along with Nikos Ridge back in 2006 and it has fast become one of the Pacific Northwest's largest and fastest growing breweries. Jamie's not only the face of Ninkasi - he's also a tireless advocate for the industry.

That's why we were surprised when Mr. Floyd kindly agreed to make time for us.... And we repaid his graciousness by wasting his time with...5 STUPID QUESTIONS

Nestled in the industrial district of Edmonds, Washington is American Brewing Company, led by their new Head Brewer Adam Frantz. Adam has a flair for numbers and loves the science of making beer: "Brewers make the wort; yeast makes the beer," Adam told me. Well, Adam took some time from his work to talk a bit about how a guy from Vermont ended up in Edmonds.

Event season is ON! What with this year's CBC and SAVOR, having recently taken place - and everything going on overseas - brewers are pretty busy getting out and about. Garrett Marrero is no different as he has been travelling from Maui to Portland to Maui to Washington, DC. Still, when you take a trip to Maui you have to reach out and at least TRY to talk to him, right?

With the annual Craft Brewers Conference getting cranked up today in Portland - one of the country's great incubators for what is now a sprawling national craft beer scene, it only seemed natural to pick the brains of the two guys who've had as big an impact on the industry as anyone else. Kurt and Rob Widmer have built a diverse brand of artisanal brews and guided Widmer Brothers Brewing to profound success for over 30 years now, including the creation of the Craft Brew Alliance.

Heavy Seas Founder Hugh Sisson is a renaissance man and one of the busiest people in this biz. Widely known as the founder and face of Baltimore-based Heavy Seas Beer, he's a tireless advocate for the industry and involved in all kinds of things. But in spite of everything he has going on, let alone the 24/7 demands of helming a brewery as ambitious as Heavy Seas Beer, Mr. Sisson kindly made time for us.

And we repaid his graciousness by wasting his time with...5 STUPID QUESTIONS.

Firestone Walker began as a small brewery with roots in the wine country on California's Central Coast. They are now an internationally acclaimed, award-winning craft brewery with a singular purpose - to craft the world's best beers. Firestone Walker was founded in 1996 by Adam Firestone and his brother-in-law David Walker. Mr. Walker kindly agreed to let us interview him and we repaid his kindness by asking him...5 STUPID QUESTIONS.

We first met Logan Plant some years back when he was still with the UK-based band Sons of Albion when they were touring the states in support of their first US release. And even though that band was making some great music together at that time - nothing would ever have prepared us for Plant's next act as the founder of Beavertown Brewery - one of London's most exciting and innovative craft breweries!

As busy as he is managing Beavertown's incredible growth, Logan graciously agreed to give us his time. And we repaid that kindness by asking him...5 STUPID QUESTIONS.